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Warriors' Green fine playing villain: 'Boo, then eventually you'll shut up'

Bob Donnan / USA TODAY Sports

The Golden State Warriors went from record-setting NBA darlings to despised villains, seemingly overnight, thanks in large part to signing former MVP Kevin Durant.

All-Star forward Draymond Green accepts that his Warriors will probably be booed in a majority of arenas this season, much like he, Durant, and Klay Thompson were on occasion as members of the U.S. Olympic team.

"Who cares what someone tries to make us out to be?" Green said on Wednesday. "We’re trying to win basketball games. If they want to make us the villain, that’s fine. They’re gonna boo us anyway everywhere we go, so that’s fine. The most fun I have in this game is going on another team’s floor and quieting their crowd anyway. So boo, then eventually you’ll shut up. And I’ll laugh. We’ll laugh. And we’ll keep it moving."

Perception of the Warriors could change once fans appreciate their style of play and winning ways, although Green doesn't expect that to happen right away.

"I don’t think it’ll happen this year," he said. "No. 1, people in this world hate change. So the first time you change something, they’re gonna hate it for awhile. Then they kinda get with the wave, jump on the bandwagon or whatever."

Ultimately, how fans around the league react to the Warriors is not Green's concern; all he cares about is becoming a champion for the second time in three years.

"That’s our No. 1 goal, to win a championship," he added. "So to say, ‘Oh, we don’t want people to hate us. Come on, love us.’ That’s what we’re doing? No. It’s not. Who cares? Our No. 1 goal is going to be our goal throughout. That’s just what it’ll be. Whoever don’t like that, I really can’t help you."

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